Signing If you are deaf, then speaking is done with a combination of hands, arms and the mouth. Some who are deaf can read lips. Even though no sounds are heard, the words formed by the mouth are interpreted visually.

If you are blind and deaf, the signing is done physically, hand to palm of hand.

Some who are deaf prefer to be called deaf and not hearing impaired. They consider themselves a linguistic minority rather than being disabled. They view the term hearing impaired as something that is broken.

The term 'deaf mute' should never be used. Deaf people can speak. Some can speak with the use of voice and most speak with the use of sign language or signing.

Flags One form of maritime communication still in use is flags. Each has an alphabetic symbol and a particular meaning. Some differ from the navy to public meaning and sometimes international meanings differ.

Body Language Facial expression, gestures, and micro-expressions all communicate to those we are with. Gestures include both those that are used to enhance public speaking as a speaking skill and actions used to convey information or instructions. An example would be the thumbs up.

Note Some gestures communicate different things in different cultures. Communicating a positive thought in one culture could be an obscene gesture in another culture.

Nonverbal communication could also include hieroglyphs, art, pictures, pictographs, flags, and other visual queues, and Morse code.

Computerized

Numerous computer languages are used to allow computers to communicate with each other and us to communicate using them.

Special Methods

Special methods includes signs. This is the mechanical type of communication, which includes the use of signal flags such as used by ships, military salutes, horns, and sirens. Drums as those used by tribal Africans and smoke signals as used by American Indians in the old West.

Also lights such as those used to communicate to airplanes and jets are a type of communication.

Aesthetic communication takes place through creative expressions such as playing a musical instrument, dancing, painting and sculpturing.

Symbolic communication is the use of religious, status, or ego-building symbols.